Health And Wellness

Idea Of Good Health or Wellness

WHAT IS WELLNESS?

Definition Of Wellness

Wellness is an active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a healthy and fulfilling life.

"...a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." - The World Health Organization.

"a conscious, self-directed and evolving process of achieving full potential." - The National Wellness Institute

Wellness is more than being free from illness, it is a dynamic process of change and growth.

Why Wellness Matters

Maintaining an optimal level of wellness is absolutely crucial to live a higher quality life. Wellness matters. Wellness matters because everything we do and every emotion we feel relates to our well-being. In turn, our well-being directly affects our actions and emotions. It’s an ongoing circle. Therefore, it is important for everyone to achieve optimal wellness in order to subdue stress, reduce the risk of illness and ensure positive interactions.

The Eight Dimensions of Wellness

There are eight dimensions of wellness: occupational, emotional, spiritual, environmental, financial, physical, social, and intellectual. 

Each dimension of wellness is interrelated with another. Each dimension is equally vital in the pursuit of optimum health. One can reach an optimal level of wellness by understanding how to maintain and optimize each of the dimensions of wellness.

Here we will look into the Emotional, Physical and Spiritual Wellness in context of Alternate Therapies as Holistic Therapies tend to the human Mind , Body and Soul.

Emotional Wellness

Definition of Emotional Wellness

Emotional wellness inspires self-care, relaxation, stress reduction and the development of inner strength. It is important to be attentive to both positive and negative feelings and be able to understand how to handle these emotions. Emotional wellness also includes the ability to learn and grow from experiences. Emotional well-being encourages autonomy and proper decision making skills. It is an important part of overall wellness.

Why is Emotional Wellness Important?

Emotional wellness allows you to accept how you are feeling. Once you accept your feelings, you can begin to understand why you are feeling that way, and decide how you would like to act in response to those feelings. Being emotionally well grants you the power to express feelings without any constraints. In turn, you will be able to enjoy emotional expression and be capable of forming supportive and interdependent relationships with others.

The Route to Emotional Wellness

In order to begin the route to emotional wellness you must always remember to be optimistic. Optimism allows you to greet all emotions—both positive and negative—with a confident attitude that allows you to learn from your mistakes. Once you have mastered emotional wellness, you will experience life a little differently. Your life will be more balanced and you will develop a deep sense of awareness. Below are some strategies for you to practice in order to boost your emotional wellness.

·         Remind yourself to stay positive, always.

·         Smile.

·         Seek or accept help and support from others when needed.

·         Employ gratitude to your life in order to strengthen relationships with family and friends.

·         Practice being mindful and increase your awareness. This can be done through various forms of meditation.

·         Accept mistakes and learn from them for next time. Mistakes are not terrible experiences; they are learning experiences.

·         Balance your other dimensions of Wellness.

Why is Physical Wellness Important?

Physical Wellness encourages us to care for our bodies through physical activity, proper nutrition, and a strong mind.

Physical Activity

Being physically active is crucial to keeping your body in its top condition. A few proven benefits of physical activity are strengthened bones and muscles, reduced risk of disease and stroke, and more energy. 

Nutrition

It is important to nurture your body by eating a well-balanced diet. Filling yourself with a variety of nutrients and vitamins will not only help prevent illness, but will also keep your body functioning at its best. 

Mental Well-Being

Having optimal levels of physical activity and maintaining proper nutrition is key to improving your overall emotional wellness. Not only will you sharpen your thinking and learning abilities, you will also enhance your sense of self-esteem and self-control.

The Route to Physical Wellness

Understanding the relationship between your body’s physical health and mental health is crucial in order to develop a balanced physical wellness. When you take the route to physical wellness you will learn to understand how your body preforms physically and be able to connect it to how you feel mentally. Physical wellness encourages principles of good health and knowledge, which affect behavior patterns that lead to a healthy lifestyle. Below are a few suggestions for you to practice to maintain an optimal level of physical wellness.

·         Engage in physical activity everyday for 30 minutes. You may break up your daily 30 minutes into 10 minutes bouts.

·         Use stairs instead of the elevator or escalator and walk whenever possible.

·         Learn to recognize warning signs when your body begins feeling ill.

·         Eat a variety of healthy foods and control your meal portions.

·         Maintain a regular sleep schedule and get  between 7-9 hours of sleep each night.

·         Practice safe sex.

 Spiritual Wellness

Definition of Spiritual Wellness  

Spiritual wellness allows us to be in tune with our spiritual selves. This realm of wellness lets us find meaning in life events and define our individual purpose. Spiritual wellness can be defined through various factors including religious faith, values, ethics and morals. Regardless of whether you believe in a particular religious faith, there is always something to be learned about how you see yourself in the world.

Why is Spiritual Wellness Important?

Spiritual wellness not only allows you to seek meaning and purpose in human existence, but it also allows you to appreciate your life experiences for what they are. When you find meaning in your life experiences, you will be able to develop a harmony with your inner self and the outside world. In simpler terms, spiritual wellness grants you balance.

The Route to Spiritual Wellness

The route to spiritual wellness is something you must learn to master on your own. Spiritual wellness strongly emphasizes the importance of building inner resources and inner thoughts in order to give meaning to experience. It is also important to know that spiritual wellness does not mandate you to pick up a religious practice. However, religion may be one route you may take to boost your spiritual wellness. Below are some recommendations for you to practice in order to maintain an optimal level of spiritual wellness.

·         Explore your inner self. Take time to think about who you are.

·         If you experience a life-changing event, take a few minutes to think about what series of events led to this.

·         Spend time meditating or practicing mindful relaxation.

·         Practice acceptance.

·         Be curious. If something happens that makes you even the slightest bit curious, take a moment to explore the experience a little deeper.

·         Look for a faith that you agree with.

Let us quickly look into the other aspects of wellness as related to the Holistic wellness concept.

Intellectual Wellness

Definition of Intellectual Wellness  

Intellectual wellness encourages us to engage in creative and mentally-stimulating activities. These activities should expand your knowledge and skills while allowing you to share your knowledge and skills with others. Intellectual wellness can be developed through academics, cultural involvement, community involvement and personal hobbies. As intellectual wellness develops, you are able to develop personal resources that work together with the other realms of wellness in order to be achieve a more balanced life.

Why is Intellectual Wellness Important?

Intellectual wellness encourages learning. It is important to explore new ideas and understandings in order to become more mindful and better-rounded. Having an optimal level of intellectual wellness inspires exploration. Intellectual wellness also stimulates curiosity. Curiosity is important because it motivates you to try new things and develop an understanding of how you see the relationship between yourself, others and the environment.

The Route to Intellectual Wellness

In order to begin the route to intellectual wellness, you must remember to be open-minded. Be open to new ideas, new cultures, new knowledge, new skills and new environments. When you have an open mind, the world is truly yours. This allows you to explore issues relating to problem solving, critical thinking, learning and creativity. Below is a list of suggestions for you to adopt in order to enhance your intellectual wellness.

·         Be open-minded.

·         Listen. When you participate in active listening you are able to fully comprehend the information that is being given to you.

·         Pick up a hobby. Hobbies are great ways to increase your skill set. They can also be fun!

·         Travel. The best way to gain knowledge as well as an appreciation for another culture is to experience it yourself.

·         Express your creative side by exploring different avenues of creativity and artistic expressions.

Social Wellness

Definition of Social Wellness  

Social wellness refers to the relationships we have and how we interact with others. Our relationships can offer support during difficult times. Social wellness involves building healthy, nurturing and supportive relationships as well as fostering a genuine connection with those around you. Conscious actions are important in learning how to balance your social life with your academic and professional lives. Social wellness also includes balancing the unique needs of romantic relationships with other parts of your life.

Why is Social Wellness Important?

Maintaining an optimal level of social wellness allows you to build healthy relationships with others. Having a supportive social network allows you to develop assertive skills and become comfortable with who you are in social situations. Surrounding yourself with a positive social network increases your self-esteem. Social wellness enables you to create boundaries that encourage communication, trust and conflict management. Having good social wellness is critical to building emotional resilience.

The Route to Social Wellness

As you begin your route to social wellness, you will discover that you have the power to enhance your personal relationships. Maintaining social wellness allows you to practice empathy and active listening. There are many ways you can begin your journey on the route to social wellness. Below are some suggestions on how to enhance your social wellness.

·         Reflect on yourself and your social needs. What aspects of your social life do you enjoy? What parts would you like to improve?

·         Make an effort to keep in touch with supportive friends and family.

·         Practice self-disclosure.

·         Participate in group discussions and practice active listening.

·         Join a club or organization 

Financial Wellness

Definition of Financial Wellness

Financial Wellness involves the process of learning how to successfully manage financial expenses. Money plays a critical role in our lives and not having enough of it impacts health as well as academic performance. Financial stress is repeatedly found to be a common source of stress, anxiety and fear for college students. Keeping track of expenses, making a budget, and sticking to it are important skills to have in order to be finically responsible and independent. Learning how to maximize your financial wellness now will help you feel prepared to handle potentially stressful financial situations in the future.

Why is Financial Wellness Important?

The Route to Financial Wellness

Rest assured that you are not the only one in the process of learning how to manage finances more efficiently. There is an array of resources on and off campus as well as workshops and programs that can guide you toward money-managing success. Everyone’s financial situation is different, so it is up to you to select the proper mix of resources that work best according to your needs. The most important point to remember is that maximizing financial wellness is a process that does not occur immediately. Be proactive by seeking related resources and learning about money-managing strategies to build your financial wellness. Financial Wellness Tips:

·         Don’t put it off - identify and address any financial problems before they start.

·         Keep organized records of your finances.

·         Take advantage of student discounts.

·         Plan ahead and set budget goals.

·         Balance your other dimensions of wellness, they all tie in to financial wellness as well.

Environmental Wellness

Definition of Environmental Wellness  

Environmental wellness inspires us to live a lifestyle that is respectful of our surroundings. This realm encourages us to live in harmony with the Earth by taking action to protect it. Environmental well-being promotes interaction with nature and your personal environment. Everyone can have a strong environmental conscious simply by raising their awareness.

Why is Environmental Wellness Important?

The core principle of environmental wellness is respect—respect for all nature and all species living in it. Environmental wellness does not mandate that you join a movement or organization, but it does encourage you to practice habits that promote a healthy environment. When you become environmentally aware, you will be able to realize how your daily habits affect the environment. Improving environmental wellness is simple and results in a more balanced lifestyle.

The Route to Environmental Wellness

Once the route to environmental wellness begins, it becomes incredibly easy to carry out. There are many environmentally conscious practices you can adopt in order to improve your relationship with the environment. Conservation is at the root of it all. Below is a list of a few suggestions to help you become more environmentally aware.

·      Conserve energy.

·       Recycle.

·       Volunteer with environmental organizations.

·       Become aware of Earth’s natural resources. Identify and understand the role of our natural resources.

·          Spend time outdoors and boost your vitamin D at the same time!